Marie Moravcova was born in Prague (now in Czechia) on 24 August 1898. She is included in this year’s advent calendar for her role in Operation Anthropoid, the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich.
With Hitler’s rise to power in Germany in the 1930s, he set about delivering on his policy promise of delivering Lebensraum, ‘living space’, first by annexing the Sudetenland on 1st October 1938. Just a couple of months previous to this, the Munich Agreement had been signed by representatives of Britain, France, and Italy, in essence agreeing to Germany's claim over the Sudetenland in exchange for a pledge of peace. On 15th March 1939, Germany invaded the Czech provinces of Bohemia and Moravia, breaking the Munich Pact.
Marie joined the Czech resistance that month.
Czechoslovakia would governed by a Reichsprotektor, in this case, Reinhard Heydrich, also known as the Butcher of Prague. Heydrich was chief of the Reich Security Main Office (including the Gestapo, Kripo, and SD). He chaired the January 1942 Wannsee Conference which formalised plans for the "Final Solution to the Jewish question"—the deportation and genocide of all Jews in German-occupied Europe. Other than the Fuhrer himself, he was one of the top targets for elimination.
In 1942, two Czechoslovak paratroopers (Jozef Gabčík and Jan Kubiš) were flown in. Marie’s apartment would become the most important contact point for the assassins. Marie, also known as Aunt Moravcová, worked not only to look after the two men when they were in Prague before the operation, but she also worked as a courier and food supplier. Her husband and younger son Vlastimil were also involved in helping the paratroopers.
Operation Anthropoid was successfully carried out on 27th May 1942 although Heydrich only died of wounds on 4th June.
After the assassination, the family’s involvement in the plot was revealed and on the night of 17th June, the Gestapo raided their apartment. Marie poisoned herself with an ampoule of cyanide, which the paratroopers had previously given her at her request, so that she would not fall alive into the hands of the Nazis. Her husband, Alois Moravec, and younger son Vlastimil were executed in the Mauthausen concentration camp on 24th October 1942.
Marie was an ordinary woman that saw her country being taken from her by an evil regime. She wanted to do her bit, knowing full well the consequences not just for her life, but for that of her family. Often the names of service personnel are those that live on in history, but those combatants cannot do their duty without the support of civilians risking everything. That is why today, we honour Marie and her family.
Travel to Prague
Prague is a wonderful city of explore with hundreds of years of history to be discovered, great food, music and of course, Pilsner! It is still possible to visit the site of Heydrich’s assassination. Contact the team today and we’d love to plan the perfect historical weekend getaway.